Target balloon



T R E m E w R c TARGET BALLOON 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April '7, 1947 Illlll INVENTOR CARL R. WEINERT R E m E w R c TARGET BALLOON 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 7. 1947 INVENTOR CARL R.WEINERT @M VM T R E m E w R c TARGET BALLOON 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April '7. 1947 INVENTOR CARL R.WE|NERT Aiid- 19 1 OFFHCE TARGET BALLOON Application April 7, 1947, Serial No. 739,984

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a target balloon adapted to be carried in folded condition by an airplane and to expand when dropped therefrom to present a target. A deficiency in target balloons known theretofore is that they occasionally fail to open so as to present a target. The present invention provides means for initially causing the ribs of the balloon to open, thereby positively initially opening the balloon so as to insure that it will present a target. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a smoke grenade is associated with the balloon and the arrangement is such that after the balloon and the smoke grenade which is connected thereto have been dropped from the airplane, the ballon is caused by positive means to initially open and the grenade is actuated so as to emit smoke, thereby enabling one to located the ballon more readily.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and certain modifications thereof,

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the folded balloon and smoke grenade, certain parts being shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is a vertical elevation of a sleeve which fits over the folded balloon and confines the lower ends of the ribs to prevent them from opening and to confine the safety lever of the smoke grenade to prevent it from operating;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line LIL-III of Figure 1, illustrating the rib separator, the folded balloon being omitted;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the ballon and grenade after they have been dropped from the airplane and the balloon has opened and the grenade is in condition to emit smoke;

Figure 6 is a view, partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section of a modification in which the sleeve of Figure 1 is not used;

Figure 7 is a horizontal section taken on the line VII--V1I of Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 but illustrating another modification in which an explosive charge is used in place of the shroud shown in Figure '6 for releasing a pin so as to allow the ballon to open and the smoke grenade to operate; and

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the lower portion of the arrangement shown in Figure 8, looking at a diiferent side.

Referring more particularly to Figures 1 through 5, the balloon is shown in folded condition in Figure 1 and in open condition in Figure 5. Referring to Figure 5, the balloon has a substantially closed top or crown 2, a vertical wall 3 and is open at the bottom. The crown has a reinforcing patch 4 and is provided with a small opening 5 which fits over the top 6 oi a shaft I when the balloon is folded. Ribs B are pivoted at one end to a ring 9 secured to the shaft and at their other ends I0 are connected to the lower edge of the balloon at circumferentially spaced points. Rib cables I l are provided for limiting the opening movement of the ribs. These cables are connected at one end l2 to a ring l3 which is fixed to the shaft 1 and at their other ends it are pivotally connected to the ribs 8 intermediate the ends of the ribs.

A rib spreader I5 is provided for opening the ribs initially so as to insure that the balloon will open when it is dropped from the airplane. The rib spreader is shown in detail in Figure 3. It comprises a disc I6 and an integral sleeve portion [1. The rib spreader is secured to the shaft 1 by a, bolt IS. The disc I6 is provided with notches IS in its edge which receive the ribs 8.

A smoke grenade indicated generally by the reference numeral 20 is secured to the lower end of the shaft I by a bolt 2 l. The smoke grenade is of conventional design and therefore need not be described in detail. It contains a charge of smoke emitting material and is provided with a firing mechanism for igniting the smoke charge, the firing mechanism being located in the head 22. A safety lever 23 having a handle 24 fits over the head 22 and prevents the firing mecha nism from firing the smoke grenade when the safety lever and handle are in the position shown in Figure 1. In addition the smoke grenade is provided with the usual safety pin 25 and ring 26 for withdrawing the pin.

A sleeve indicated generally by the reference numeral 30 and shown in Figure 2 has an upper hood portion 3| which fits over the folded balloon as shown in Figure 1 and a lower sleeve portion 32 which is made of elastic material. The elastic band 32 acts as a confining means for confining the lower ends 33 of the ribs 8 and the lower edges 34 of the folded balloon in the position shown in Figure 1. The elastic band 32 also confines the handle 24 of the safety lever 23 so as to prevent the smoke grenade from operating when the parts are in the position shown in Figure 1. A shroud or cord 35 has one end 36 connected to the upper end of the hood portion 3! of the sleeve 80. The other end of the shroud is connected'to the airballoon from the plane.

stood that even though the safety pin has been removed, the grenade will not be fired because the handle 24 is retained in the position shown in Figure 1 by the elastic band 32 on the sleeve 88. The balloon is then dropped from the airplane. When the shroud has become extended toits full length it Jerks the sleeve 38 and band -32 from the balloon. The rib spreader l5 then acts to initially open the ribs from their confined position shown in Figure 1. It will be understood that the rib spreader tends to cause the ribs to assume the chain line position 81 shown in Figure 1, that is, it tends to straighten out the ribs which previously have been confined by the elastic band 32 of the sleeve 30. The rib spreader accordingly acts as a positive means for initially opening or spreading the ribs 8. The balloon fills with air as it drops and the ribs are caused to open further. The opening movement of the ribs is limited by the rib cables Ii so that when fully opened the balloon has the shape shown in Figure 5.

When the sleeve 38 is jerked from the balloon it also releases the handle 24 of the grenade. This enables the handle to fiy from the head 22 and allows the firing mechanism within the head to operate so as to cause smoke to be emitted from the grenade. The invention thus provides means for carrying a balloon in folded condition in an airplane, for causing positive initial spreading of the ribs and opening of the balloon when it is dropped and for causing the smoke grenade to operate so as to draw attention to the target balloon.

The device shown in Figures 6 and 7 is similar to that shown in Figures 1 through 5 except that no sleeve corresponding to the sleeve 38 is employed. The construction includes a balloon 40, shaft 4i, ribs 42, rib spreader 43, rib cables 44, smoke grenade and a safety lever 48 having a handle 41. The lower edges of the folded balloon, the lower ends of the ribs 42 and the handle 41 are confined by a resilient band 48 which may be a metal band which is held in closed position by a pin 49. The metal band 48 is formed in a manner similar to a hinge and has an upper eye portion 58 and a lower eye portion 5| spaced from the eye 58', both portions'50 and 5! being formed at one end 52 of the band. An eye 53 formed on the end 54 of the band fits into the space between the eyes and 5| and the band is retained in closedposition by the pin 49. A shroud 55 has its lower end 56 connected to the pin.

The device illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 operates in a manner similar to the device of Figures 1 through 5. The balloon is thrown from the air-- plane and the pin 49 is jerked from the band 48 thereby allowing the band to open. This allows the rib spreader 43 to initially spread the ribs 42 and the release of the handle 41 causes the grenade to be fired as previously described.

The device shown in Figures 8 and 9 includes a balloon 80, shaft 8i, ribs 62, rib spreader 63, rib cables 64, grenade 65 safety lever 68 and safety lever handle 61. The band 68 for confining the handle 61 and lower ends of the ribs is a flexible metal band the same as in the device of Figures 6 and 7. The band 68 is retained in closed position by a pin 48. The pin is caused to drop from the band by an arrangement including an plosive charge. As shown in Figure 8, a chamber 18 is secured to the band 58 and is arranged in alignment with the pin 68. The chamber contains an explosive charge II, a delay train 12 of powder, a primer 18, a firing pin 14 and a spring 15. The firing pin is maintained in inoperative position by a cotter-pin 18.

The operation of the device is as follows. The

grenade safety pin 11 is removed and the cotter pin 18 is withdrawn and the folded balloon is dropped from the airplane. The removal of the cotter pin 18 causes the firing pin I4 to ignite the primer l3 and the delay train (time fuse) 12. After the balloon has dropped a predetermined distance, depending upon the delay train employed, the explosive charge 'II is ignited and causes the pin 68 to drop from the band 88. The band opens, releases the lower ends of the ribs 62 whereupon the rib spreader 63 becomes operative to initially open the balloon. The release of the handle 81 from the band 68 also causes the firing mechanism of the smoke grenade to operate.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention it comprises the combination of a target balloon and a smoke grenade. However certain features of the invention are of advantage whether or not the balloon is associated with a smoke grenade. Thus the smoke grenade could be eliminated and the various confining means described, such as the elastic band 82 of Figure 2, the resilient band 48 of Figure 6 or the resilient band 68 of Figure 8 would serve the purpose of confining the lower ends of the ribs in folded position and for confining the lower edges of the folded balloon. Upon release of the confining means, the rib spreader would operate to initially open the ribs in the manner which has been described even though no smoke grenade were associated with the balloon.

I have illustrated and described certain preferred embodiments of the invention. However, it is to be understood that the invention may be otherwise embodied or practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A target balloon adapted to be carried in folded condition by an airplane and to expand when dropped therefrom to present a target, said balloon, when expanded, having a substantially closed top and an open bottom, said balloon comprising a shaft, a smoke grenade connected to the lower end of the shaft, said grenade having a firing mechanism and a safety lever for controlling the grenade firing mechanism, ribs pivoted at one end to the shaft and connected at their other ends to the lower edge of the balloon at circumferentially spaced points, means for limiting the opening movement of the ribs, a rib spreader connected to the shaft, means for con fining the lower ends of the folded ribs and the lower edge of the folded balloon and said safety lever, said confining means opposing the tendency of the rib spreader to spread the ribs, and means for releasing said confining means after the balloon is dropped from the airplane, whereby the rib spreader acts to spread the ribs initially and the safety lever is released so as to cause the grenade to emit smoke.

2. A target balloon adapted to be carried in folded condition by an airplane and to expand when dropped therefrom to present a target, said balloon, when expanded, having a substantially closed top and an open bottom, said balloon comans-mm prising a shaft, ribs pivoted at one end to the shaft and connected at their other ends to the lower edge or the balloon at circumferentially spaced points, means for limiting the opening movement of the ribs,- awrib spreader connected to the shaft. a fabric sleeve enclosing the folded balloon, a. band .of elastic material connected to the fabric sleeve'for confining the lower ends of the folded ribs and the lower edge of the folded balloon, said band opposing the tendency of the rib spreader to spread the ribs, and a shroud connected at one end to said sleeve and at the other end to the airplane.

3. A target balloon adapted to be carried in folded condition'by an airplane and to expand when dropped therefrom to present a target, said balloon, when expanded, having a, substantially closed top and an open bottom, said balloon comprising a shaft, ribs pivoted at one end to the shaft and connected at their other ends to the lower edge of the balloon at circumferentially 6 spaced points, means for limiting the opening movement of the ribs, a, rib spreader connected to the shaft, a resilient band having its ends connected together by a pin for confining the lower ends of the folded ribs and the lower edge of the folded balloon, said band opposing the tendency of the rib spreader to spread the ribs, a chamber communicating with 'the pin, an explosive charge in the chamber, a delay train of powder, and means for igniting the delay train.

' CARL R. WEINERT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are ofrecord in the file of this patent:

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 334,393 Germany Mar. 12, 1921 488,621 Great Britain July 8, 1938 526,120 France June 24, 1921 

